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Luo Family History

Luo Surname Meaning

Chinese:: Mandarin form of the surname 羅 meaning ‘net for catching birds’ or ‘to collect’ in Chinese: (i) from Luo (羅) the name of an ancient state (located in present-day Hubei province). After it was annexed by the state of Chu during the early Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC), people from the state migrated southwards and adopted Luo (羅) as their surname. (ii) from the Po Duo Luo (破多羅) and Chi Luo (叱羅) families from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China who changed their original surnames to 羅 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iii) from the personal name Hu Se Luo (斛瑟羅) leader of an ancient Turkic tribe who are believed to have migrated to China during the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). His descendants inherited his name Hu Se Luo (斛瑟羅) as their surname and shortened it to 羅 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (iv) from the name of one of the seven families from the Bandun Man, an ethnic group residing in ancient southwestern China (located mainly in present-day Sichuan province).

Mandarin form of the surname 駱 referring to a ‘white horse with a black mane’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the personal name Luo (駱), style name of a prince in the state of Qi (located mainly in present-day Shandong province). (ii) from the name of Da Luo (大駱), a descendant of an official during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). His eldest son Cheng established a state named after his father's name Da Luo (大駱) (location unknown). After it was annexed by a minority ethnic group in northwestern China during the reign of King Li of Zhou (died 828 BC), people from the state adopted Luo (駱) as their surname. (iii) from the personal name Luo (駱), personal name of a royal member in the state of Zheng (located in part of present-day Shaanxi and Henan provinces) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

(iv) from the Tuo Luo Ba family (佗駱拔 also written as 他駱拔 他駱伏 地駱拔) from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China who changed their original surname to 駱 during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). (v) a surname of the Tuyuhun ethnic group originating in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907–960 AD).

Mandarin form of the surname 雒 meaning ‘owlet’: (i) said to be traced back to Luo Yao (雒陶), a friend of the legendary Emperor Shun (c. 23rd century BC). (ii) from Luo (雒), the name of an ancient state (possibly located in present-day Henan province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) from the first element of Luo Shui (雒水, literally meaning ‘Luo River’), the name of a branch (located in Shaanxi province) of the Yellow River.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Luo family from?

You can see how Luo families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Luo family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1901 and 1920. The most Luo families were found in USA in 1920, and Scotland in 1901. In 1911 there were 2 Luo families living in British Columbia. This was about 67% of all the recorded Luo's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Luo families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Luo surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Luo ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Carpenter was the top reported job for people in the USA named Luo. 50% of Luo men worked as a Carpenter.

View Census Data for Luo | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Carpenter
    50%
  • Clerk
    50%

What Luo family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 250 census records available for the last name Luo. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Luo census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 358 immigration records available for the last name Luo. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 15 military records available for the last name Luo. For the veterans among your Luo ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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